Concentric differential combining gearbox integrated with electric motor drive
AssigneeGE Avio S.r.l.
InventorsVincenzo Martina, Andrea Piazza
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid electric propulsion system includes a gearbox and electric machine assembly that includes a planetary gear assembly and an electric machine that is secured to a ring gear of the planetary gear assembly. The electric machine can be operated as a motor or a generator to provide power to or to extract power from the planetary gear assembly so as to provide multiple hybrid operations of the propulsion system. The integrated design of the gearbox and electric machine assembly also provides for a more compact hybrid propulsion system.
Claims20
A gearbox and electric machine assembly comprising:
- a planetary gear assembly including a sun gear, planet gears, and a ring gear, the sun gear rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having outer gear teeth, the planet gears positioned about the sun gear and having outer gear teeth that are engaged with the outer gear teeth of the sun gear, the planet gears rotatable about the sun gear and about the longitudinal axis, the ring gear having inner gear teeth engaged with the outer gear teeth of the planet gears;
- and
- an electric machine having a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is coupled to the planetary gear assembly and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, and the stator is supported about the rotor.
A hybrid electric propulsion system comprising:
- a turbine engine including a turbine, a combustor, a compressor, a turbine shaft, and a gearbox and electric machine assembly, the gearbox and electric machine assembly including:
- an outer casing defining a cavity;
- a planetary gear assembly received within the cavity of the outer casing and including a sun gear, planet gears, and a ring gear, the sun gear rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having outer gear teeth, the planet gears positioned about the sun gear and having outer gear teeth that are engaged with the outer gear teeth of the sun gear, the planet gears rotatable about the sun gear and about the longitudinal axis, the ring gear having inner gear teeth engaged with the outer gear teeth of the planet gears;
- and
- an electric machine having a stator and a rotor, the rotor engaged with the planetary gear assembly and rotatable about the longitudinal axis, the stator supported about the rotor within the cavity of the outer casing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.